This month’s Flashback Friday is celebrating a small franchise that worked with the Nintendo DS’s microphone in an interesting way.

Nintendogs was first released in April 2005 on the Nintendo DS in three different versions: Dachshund & Friends, Lab & Friends, and Chihuahua & Friends. The series were re-released twice later, ending with a bundle called Dalmatian & Friends.

The game was a pet simulator starring, what else, puppies. Each version had a set amount of breeds for the player to adopt, name, and take care of via grooming, walks, feedings, and teaching them tricks. The dogs could get dressed up and compete in tournaments as well. The main gimmick of the game was using the microphone to speak to them.

With the Nintendo DS’s microphone, the player was able to verbally teach the puppies their name and tricks. There are “hand” motions via the stylus that you were able to make to help with the tricks as well, but the microphone was the main attraction. It worked fairly well, especially combined with the Nintendo DS’s graphics. The puppies were adorable!